Folding article of furniture



Aug. 3o, 193s.

J. KOVATS ATTORNE Aug. 30', 1938,. n.1. KovATs 2,128,465

FOLDING ARTICLE oF FURNITURE Filed April 5o, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 A 45 9 ,'7 42 ,INVENTOR tables.

to which the invention is applied will hereinafter I Patented ug. 30, 1938 .ariela'1*y orifice FOLDING ARTICLE oF FURNITURE `Johny Kovats, Fairfield, Conn. Appiication April 3o, 1936, seriarNo. 77,112 19 shams.l (o1. sunset' This invention relates to furniture of vthetalole or like class, and to such articles of furnitureI having collapsible legs; the invention being of special value in regard to portable cardy or game For convenience, any piece of furniture bereferred to as atable. vAn object of the present invention is to provide I av leg-operating mechanism for a table such that y provide operating means individual to each leg in moving the legs to change the table from collapsed to extended condition, or vice Versa, first one group of legs is thus moved and then another group of legs is thus moved. In this connection, preferably, the arrangement is such that, where four legs are to be collapsed or extended, the

movement of a pair of diagonally opposite legs toward extended ork collapsed position precedes a similar movement of the other two legs. To this end, preferably, each leg of one of thesev pairs is operatively connected to the other leg of its pair,

so that itis merelyl necessary to move a single leg from extended to collapsed position in order to another such group,or `so as to move one leg after f section I9 parallel tothe section Il.

another all around the table.A

A further object of the present invention is to and of the general typeshown and described in my copending application Serial No. 595,983, 4filed March 1, 1932, but of an improved type.

Still a further object is toprovide operating Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one of said embodiments, with the legs collapsed; the same being a `rectangular table having four legs one at each of the table corners.

Fig. 2 is a similar-view of anotherembodiment applied tothe same table, and one having similar.-

"ly placedlegs, these legs also shown collapsed.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View, showing various parts as seen at the upper right-hand corner of Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the parts shown in bottom plan in Fig.- 3, that is, looking in the directionof the arrow 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing said parts redisposed to place and hold the associated legs in extended position.

Fig. 6 is an-end elevation of said parts, that is, looking in the direction of the arrow'i'in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the present invention is shown ,as embodied in a 'card table, the top I0 of which includes a rectangular frame Il carrying a central board I2, and upon which cards may be played or food may be served.

Four legs are shown at the four corners of the table top. The twok of these legs which constitute a diagonally` opposite pair thereof when in ex-` tended. position are marked I4, and the two remaining legs, which constitute another diagonally opposite pair thereof lwhen in extended position,are marked I5.-

Referring now to the form of the invention shown in Figure 1, and'in. that connection referring especially to Figs. 3 to 6, each leg is coupled to the table top In by way of .a hinge connection including a base structure I6 xed to said top and a swingable structure secured to and mounting the inner end of one ofthe legs I4 and I 5.

This base structure as shown comprises a sheet metal plate cut and shaped 'to include a long wall Section II, another somewhat shorter wall I3l at right angles to the wall section Il, and a short wall The wall sections I'I and I8 .'t'flat against the inner sides ofthe adjacent members of the frame II, being fastened thereto by screwsg20.

The swingable structure shown, mark-ed 2| comprises a sheet metal plate cut and shaped .to include an integral barrel 22 which is just wide enough to fit between the'wall sections Il andll) of the basestructure; a pin being passed through the barrel and through holes in these two wall sections and being headed over as indicated at 23 to complete the pivotall connection between the two structures I6 and 2l.

The swingable structure 2l is shown as being also provided with av channel 24 for comparatively lfree and easy sidewise reception ofthe upper or inner end of a leg I4 or I5, vthis channel in the present case being shaped to t a leg of rectangular cross-section. Such leg is secured inthe channel` 24 by studs or rivets 25. The barrel 22 has extended outwardly from the same a flat extension constituting a ledge 26 against which the inner end of the leg abuts and which limits upward movement of the leg in the channel 24.

In the illustrated form of the invention, a toggle interconnects each base structure I6 and the associated swingable leg-carrying structure 2|. One of the side walls of the channel 24 presents an ear 21, and to this ear a toggle link 28 is pivoted at 29. Said link is pivoted at 30 to the other link 3| of the toggle, which link 3| is pivo-ted to wall sectionI'I ofthe base structure I6. Such pivoting of link 3| is on a boss 32 formed on said wall section I'I and by means of a rivet 33.

In order positively to limit a toggle to maximum distension, for holding the leg I4 or I5 in extended position perpendicular to the top I0, as shown in Fig. 5, as well also as to limit such toggle to maximum collapse, for holding a leg in its desired collapsed position, here shown as parallel to the plane of said top I 0, a'doublestop means is provided which in the present case includes a'pin-and-slot connection. The pin of such connection is a headed stud 34.suitably securled in place to project above a boss 32. formed 0n wall section Il'. of the base structure and' alongside the aforesaid. boss 32, and the slot of4 such connection taking the shank of said stud is an arcuateone 36 formed in toggle link 3|.

In order yieldingly to 'urge each toggle and consequently the associated leg toward the extended position shown'in Eig. 5, when such toggle and leg have been manually moved suliciently toward such extended position to straighten out.Y

the toggle to some extent, a'n expansile spring 3'! is provided (see particularly Fig. 5) having a central tension coil'3'Ia, andl also having at one end a terminal curl ttedand retained in a shaped edge-recess. Ila forming an extension cfa properly cut-away portion Iflb of the wall section IIof the base'structure I6; said spring being angularly bent at its other end to'provide a short offset extension 3Ic sent through a hole in toggle link 3|, such hole marked3Ia in Fig.`r

3, and through a matching hole 33. in a member 38a below described. Such spring offers no' appreciable resistance to moving the associated toggle and leg from extended to collapsed position, nor is it able'to act expandingly of the toggle when the latter` is collapsed 'as in Fig. 4.

However, once the toggle has been so far extended. from the. condition shown in Fig. 4 as to move the end;3lc of the spring beyond the straight line joining the. effective anchorage point of the curled end of the spring `and the g pivot 33, the tension of. the springtends to move the toggle further toward expanded condition.

Thus, should the user fail'. to move the associ-i ated leg to fully extended position, the -spring Il acts to correct this inadvertent failure. Said spring acts, furthermore, 'to' hold the stud T34 in one end of theslot 36 as shown in Fig. 5, and thereby insures that the pivots 29, 30 and. 331

will be held. in a straight line as an effective'stop to prevent the leg vfrom tilting inwardlyy of theA table. v

To fold or close anyselected leg, it is merel necessary for the user to press ontheassociate'd pair of toggle links 23 and 3| near the intermediate pivot 30, and' after such pivot is moved out of the straight 4line between the two end pivots 29 and 33, the links may be moved about the hinge connection 22-23with ease. As the leg is swung closer andcloser toward the underside of the table top there is an increasing action of the spring 3l in urging the leg toward full collapse. The spring thus serves to facilitate movement of the leg to folded position, and tends to maintain the leg in folded position while the table is moved about and when it is stored.

Referring now to the illustrated means for effecting collapse of the legs seriatim, the member 38a above-mentioned is a leaf extension offset from what may be termed a relay means, that is, a means for relaying the collapsing movement of one leg to another leg, so that the secondmentioned leg will be collapsed as the result of collapsing the first-mentioned leg. This means ishere shown as in the form of a plate 38, xed on toggleliznk 37| by rivets 39, and having a main portion cut-away as at 40 opposite its associated leg, to allow` that leg tocollapse when the associated toggle is collapsed, and beyond such cut-away extended as a laterally projected, curved wing 4I, hereinafter called the relay element.

As will be seen most clearly fromA Figures 1 and 2, the relay element 4 I carried by each of the four` similar toggles which on collapse thereof causes the associated'leg to be folded in under the table top, is alongside that leg and is in position to be pressed downwardly to cause that leg to collapse when an adjacent leg is moved toward collapsing position, In other words, assuming, as indicated in Figs.`5 and 6, that the first collapsed leg isa leg I5,` as soon as that leg moves to the dot-anddash position shown in these views further pres.- sure thereon in the direction of the arrow 42 exerts a pressure inf the direction of the arrow 43 on the relay element 4| for an adjacent leg I4. This results in a downward pressure on the pair of toggle links shown in Figs. 5 and 6 so as to move 4 the intermediate pivot 30 out of the straight line between the'two end pivots 29 and 33, andthis toggle and the leg I4 are collapsed tothe condition shown i`n Fig. 4 as the leg VI5 and its toggle are similarly collapsed. A

Thus, either leg I4, or either leg I 5, can be rst manually collapsed, but in any case to result in the automatic collapse of all the other` legs, due' to the operation of the relay elements 4 I., seriatim.

In order to provide forthe manual collapse. of, two legs simultaneously, as those of the pair I4.Y or those of the pair I5, so that incidental to such collapse theY remaining pair of `legs, will be automatically collapsedby the relayelements 4I carried by the toggles ,associated` with the two legs last-mentioned, means are associated withl each pair of diagonally lopposite legs so that each such pair can be moved conjointly, either from collapsed position to extended position, or vice versa. The base structure of the hinge connection lfor eachleg hasawallsection 44 horizontally offsetl from its long side Wall section |'I,. this wall. section 44 lyingilatfagainst the underside of the table top. Mounted on wall section 44, by a pivot 45, is a rockerplate 46, for bell-crank action, and provided with anarcuateuflange 41 cut-away to present a pair of teeth for engaging a pin 48 car-fr ried by the associatedtoggle link 3|. -As` will be understood,withl the associated` toggle collapsed as inFig. 4, and with the parts described arranged as there shown, said rocker plate as 'seen in Fig. 3 will be rotated in a clockwise direction when said toggle is expanded to extend the associated table leg; andA incollapsing the leg,"s'aid plate will-Abe',`

Figure 1. similarly operates, incidental to a `move-,-A

ment of the associated leg from collapsed to vexpanded position, and vice versa..

As shown in Figure 1, the two rocker plates 46 respectively associated with the two diagonally opposite legs I4 are connected by a pair of links 48, each pivoted at its opposite ends to the two rocker plates as indicated at 49. Similarly-the two rocker plates 46 respectively associated with the two diagonally opposite legs I5 are connected by a pair of like links 49, each pivoted at its opposite ends to the two rocker plates as indicated at 50. i

Thus, still referring to Figure 1, when either of the legs I4 is manually moved from collapsed to extended position, orvice versa, the other leg I4 moves similarly therewith, and when either of the legs I5 is so moved the other leg I5 moves therewith; due to the linkages described. And when either pair of legs I4 or I5 is thus moved from extended to collapsed condition, and by manual handling of only one of the legs of either selected pair, the other pair of legs is similarly automatically moved, due to the relay elements 4I carried by the toggles associated with the lastmentioned pair of legs. For instance, imagine the collapsed table standing upright on theiloor as seen in Figure 1, but with the legs extended: then a person standing behind the table and facing toward the observer of the underside of the table, could pull in toward him, conveniently by the use of his left hand, the leg I4 hinged at the upper right-hand corner of table top, and, as the lower end of this leg swings in to engage the relay element 4I seen at the upper left in Figure l, his right hand would be conveniently available to apply added pressure to the outer end of said leg I4 to increase the depressive force on said element 4I, thus causing both legs I4 to swing into the fully collapsed position shown in Figure 1 as both legs I4 are being finally brought to that condition.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, as will be noted, the means for operatively interconnecting the legs I4 and for similarly connecting the legs I5 are omitted; the base structures I6 at the four corners of the table, as here shown, having removed therefrom the wall sections 44 of Figures 1 and 3 to 6. v

Nevertheless, as already pointed out, in Fig, the moving of any selected leg from its expanded to its collapsed position results in automatically bringing about a collapsing of all the other legs. In this case, however, the legs are collapsed, one by one and one after another, all around the table. Should, for example, the leg I4 hinged at the upper right-hand corner o f the table top in Fig. 2, be the one manually engaged for collapsing rst, the free end of that leg, near the conclusion of its closing movement, engages the relay element 4I at the upper left-hand corner in Fig. 2, whereupon the leg there hinged is given a collapsing movement and near the conclusion thereof engages the relay element 4I at the lower left-hand corner, whereupon the leg there hinged begins a collapsing movement; and this last-mentioned leg near` the conclusion of its collapsing movement engages the relay element 4I at the lower left-hand corner, whereupon the leg there hinged begins its collapsing movement. These four leg collapsing movements, in the embodiment described, are all completed by the respective springs 3l, and all the four legs are held in collapsed position by such springs.

Variations and modications may be made Within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In a folding table, a table top; a plurality of legs for said table top hingedly connected thereto for movements to extended and collapsed positions, each of said hinge connections being independent of the others; and means for initiating movement of one leg toward collapsed position actuated by another leg'in response to the concluding movement of said other leg toward collapsed position.

2. In a folding table, a table top, a plurality of legs for said table top hingedly connected thereto for movements to extended and collapsed positions, each of said hinge connections being independent of the others; and means for initiating movement of one leg toward collapsed position actuated by an adjacent leg in response to movement of said adjacent leg toward collapsed position.

3. In a folding table, a table top; a Iplurality of legs for said table top movable to extended and collapsed positions; means operatively connecting each pair of diagonally opposite legs whereby the legs of each of such pairs may be conjointly collapsed independently of theV other of said pair; and means responsive to conclusion of the movement of one of said pairs of leg `in collapsing direction for initiating a conjoint collapsing movement of the other pair of legs.

4. In a folding table, a table top; a plurality of legs for said table top movable to extended and collapsed positions; and means independent i 6. In a folding table, a table top; a plurality of legs for said table top movable to extended and collapsed positions; independent mechanism associated with each leg and operative to move that leg from extended to collapsed position, each mechanism including an actuating means for engaging another leg, each leg being so guidedin its collapsing movement that during such movement it engages one of said means associated with another leg, the means last-mentioned being engaged and actuated by the leg last-mentioned substantially at the conclusion of its movement to collapsed position.

7. A folding table as in claim 4, wherein there is means for operatively connecting the leg lastmentioned to its diagonally opposite leg for conjoint movement therewith, and wherein there is means for operatively connecting the leg rstmentioned to its diagonally opposite leg for conjoint movement therewith.

8. A folding table as in claim 4, wherein there is means for operatively connecting each of said legs to its diagonally opposite leg independently of the connection of its adjacent or adjoining leg.

9. A folding table as in claim 4, whereinY the means to move a leg includes a bracing means, including a toggle, said bracing means carrying the member engaged by another leg.

10. A folding table as in claim 4, wherein means are provided for automatically urging a leg toward fully collapsed position when such leg is partially moved toward such position.

i 1l. In a folding table, a tabletop; a plurality ofy legs" for said,` table top movable to extended and collapsed positions; and means operative to move a leg from extended toward collapsed position, said means including a bracing means for each leg and a relay element operatively connected to said bracing means, and said. leg-moving means being renderedoperative when the relay element isv actuated by another leg while that leg is being moved toward collapsed position, such engagement occurring after the last-mentioned legV has partially completed such a movement.

12. In a folding table, a table top; a plurality of legs for said table top, movable to extended and collapsed positions; and means operative to move aV leg` from extended toward collapsed position, said means including a toggle connecting each leg with the table top and a relay element operatively connected tosaid toggle, and said legmoving means being rendered operative when the relay element is actuated by another leg while that leg is being moved toward collapsed position, such engagement occur-ring after the lastmentioned leg has partially completed such a movement.

13. In a collapsible table, the combination, with a top and collapsible legs, of a mounting for each leg including a hinge connection between the top and the leg; a toggle collapsed when the leg is collapsed and extended to place its pivots substantially in a straight line when the leg is extended; a spring acting to urge said toggle toward extended condition orcollapsed position when the toggle is moved predeterminedly toward extended or collapsed conditionpdouble-acting stop means for holding the toggle in fully extended or fully collapsed condition; a rocker element engaging said toggle, and rocked in one direction when the toggle is moved to extended position and rocked in the opposite direction when the. toggle is moved to collapsed position; and means associated with theitoggle and engageable by an adjacent leg when that leg is moved toward collapsed position for breaking the toggle Whereby the leg controlled by said toggle moves to collapsed position.

14. In a collapsible table, the combination,

with a top and collapsible legs, of a mounting for each leg including a hinge connection between the top and the leg; actuating means for eachr leg, includinga relay element operatively associated with the-tablerandamovablei to collapse saidleg when thelatter is extended; said relay element, when said legis extended; being positioned, toA be engagedby the free end'of another leg while thatyleg,` is. being. collapsed.`

15. A tablel as. in claim 14, wherein saidrelay element isa rockable plate.A

1'6. A table as in claim 14, wherein said, relay element is arockableaplate*havinga field of operationthrough aplane at anY angle; to the plane of operation of the leg engaging it.

1'7.,Af` table as in claim 14., wherein said relay elementds a rockable pla-tei'having afield of operationthrough a-plane atananglegto the plane of operation ofthe leg engaging it, there'being a collapsible, bracing means for the` leg operated by the plate, and said relay element being secured to saidv bracing means.

18a In a folding table-a table top; a plurality of legs for said tablextop movable to extended andcollapsed positions; means operative to move a leg from extended toward collapsed position', said means including::a: bracing meansfor` each leg and a relay element operatively connected to` said bracing; means; and `said'V leg-movingv means being: renderedoperative when the' relay element isactuated by another leg ywhile that` leg` is beingmoved toward' collapsedgposition, such engagement occurring after the last-mentioned: leg has partially completed such amovement; andmeans; for auton'iaticallyiurgingy a leg toward' fullyfcoll'apsedA position'when' such leg. is,y partially moved toward said position.

l19. In a foldingtablea table` topi; a plurality of legs for said table top movableV to. extended and collapsed positions; means operative to move a leg from extended toward-1collapseclfI position said means includingf abracingxmeans foreach leg and a relay element.` operatively connected to said bracing means, and said leg-moving means being rendered operative` when.1the. relay element is actuated'` by vanother leg, while that leg is beingmoved toward: collapsed position; such engagement occurringy after the 'y last-mentioned leg` has partially completed such a movement; meansyfor operatively connecting.. each of said legs to its diagonally opposite leg; and means for automatically urging a leg toward fully collapsed position when such kleg is partially moved toward said position.

JOHN KOVATS.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,128.1'L'f65j. l v August 50, 1958.

JOHN KOVATS.

It is hereby certified that error appears 1n the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, second column, line 19, claim 2, before "movement" insert the words a concluding; line 27, claim 5, for "pair" read pairs; line 28, same cla-1m, for "leg" y read legs; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this lst day of November, A. D. 1958.

Henry Van Arsdale (Seal) l Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

